How do the 'left-behind children' spend their summer vacation?

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A new report revealed that nearly a third of students living in rural China have been categorized as “left-behind children,” or children under the age of 16 whose migrant worker parents have left them behind to seek work elsewhere, according to the Global Times. With lack of the parental guidance, how do these children spend their summer vacation?

A journalist, working in Worker's Daily, did an investigation on safety for children in the village near Yangjiang City, China’s southern Guangdong Province. The poor local condition forces most of young people to become immigrant workers, leaving their parents and children behind, usually in their rural hometowns.

A 60-year-old couple had two sons and two sons-in-law working in Shenzhen, also in the southern province. Therefore, the elderly couple needed to look after four grandchildren while maintaining the farm work and housework.

For the older children, their routine daily work during summer vacation was to take care of the younger children and watch television programs.

Most "left-behind children" are watched after by their grandparents. /Google Photo

Lack of attention from parents, "left-behind children" are in the absence of moral education and communications. Chinanews reports that most"left-behind children" are watched after by their grandparents, who wish to give their grandchildren whatever they desire. When these kids fail to build up a proper moral judgement, they are more likely inclined to involve in criminal activities.

According to a case reported by Chinanews, a "left-behind" young boy in Yangjiang City was taken care of by his grandparents. During his summer vacation, the boy stole his grandparents' money and even his neighbors' properties and possessions to cover the cost of playing computer games.

Summer vacation means abandoned and desperate times for many 'left-behind children'. /Google Photo

Some "left-behind children" are "virtual orphans" who receive no guidance either from their parents nor their relatives. These children have to look after themselves. They have to cook, do laundry and farm work. When these children start their summer vacation, criminal incidents more often occur because many of them lack badly-needed guidance and proper education.

It is no surprise that the lonely environment has a negative affect on children's development. Some teachers have noted that their students appear "dissatisfied" with their parents, according to Shanghaiist's reports.

Shanghaiist reports that in the past, efforts have been made to enforce laws which require parents to look after their children. But that hasn't stopped many adults from fleeing for work in urban centers, or simply abandoning their children altogether. Summer vacation is the happiest time for most children, however, for "left-behind children" it means an abandoned and desperate time.